1) My pet hate - reading in numerous books , forums and blogs about what lovely Russian looks OTMA had . They were German for goodness sake !!! Please look at their family tree on wkipedia and understand how genetic inheritance works . The idea that Peter the Greats Russian DNA being so strong that it overwhelms the 99% of German ancestry and causes OTMA to 'look Russian' is obviously ludicrous or, to put it scientificallly - statistically improbable - yet that is what we are implicitly told to believe , especially when OTMA put on their pretty uniforms and look all patriotic ! Reality rather than romantic fantasy please .

2) Having to continue to put up with Ana Anderson suppporters/fantasists in 2016 . The existence of the Loch Ness Monster is more credible.

3) Reading of the frankly infuriating morbidity, self pity, stubbornness and overbearing piety of Alix and her short sighted determination to preserve the monarchy at all costs for 'baby'. One wants to shake her out of her trance. But one remembers than Ella , Sandro, etc already tried and failed. Nicky and Alix aren't unique in that respect - ie not really believing they are about to be toppled until the moment it happens (Nero , the Ceaucescu's , Louis XVI and MA etc) , but we know the consequences for the family and for Russia and the frustration only grows...

4) No one understands why you have suddenly gone quiet and gloomy when it's because you have been looking at OTMA photos on the laptop !

5) Wanting to visit Russia badly ,but cannot , or will not , because of the labyrinthine, expensive, bureacratic visa hell .

As a pedant, I have to mention the habit of ill-informed writers of describing Nikolai Nikolaievich as Nicholas II's uncle, when he was actually his first cousin once removed (first cousin to Alexander III).

As a pedant, I have to mention the habit of ill-informed writers of describing Nikolai Nikolaievich as Nicholas II's uncle, when he was actually his first cousin once removed (first cousin to Alexander III).

Ann

I second this irritation of yours, Ann. GD NN did appear almost a generation older than the Emperor Nicholas II to some extent (twelve years older in fact), but the cousin relationship is clear and a biological fact.I've seen the mistaken "uncle" reference so often that I found myself re-checking the Romanov family tree at least a few times.

I wonder if it is a translation mistake - older first cousins once or twice removed were i read often referred to as Aunt or Uncle - for example Olga Alexandrovna referred to the Queen of Greece (Olga Constantinovna) as Aunt though she was also her godmother (and first cousin of her father Alexander III)

As a pedant, I have to mention the habit of ill-informed writers of describing Nikolai Nikolaievich as Nicholas II's uncle, when he was actually his first cousin once removed (first cousin to Alexander III).

Ann

I am not contradicting your observation, nor is what I say here meant as an excuse for those "uncle" references, since most of those authors don't know Russian, but I merely wanted to mention that in Russian the terms for such cousins include the terms "uncle", "aunt" "grandfather" etc., in order to indicate the generational relationship between the two parties.

A first cousin once removed, is called a "cousin-uncle" in Russian. A great uncle would be a "cousin-grandfather"; a grand nephew would be a "grandson-nephew", or, more rarely, a "cousin-grandson", etc. You get the picture...

As a pedant, I have to mention the habit of ill-informed writers of describing Nikolai Nikolaievich as Nicholas II's uncle, when he was actually his first cousin once removed (first cousin to Alexander III).

Ann

5) ...When you're accustomed to flitting around Europe without so much as a passport check , visiting Russia seems a costly , complicated business and puts me off visiting, which is a shame.

1)...Well it is a curiosity more than an annoyance ( I overstated my indignation) when the process of 'de-mythologising OTMA' goes out the window ( along with common sense ) when it comes to their appearance. Flights of fancy grip the imaginations of contemporaries , historians and fans alike , and much hand wringing ensues over Tatiana's cheekbones or Olga's wide face . Clear waters become muddied , and questionable assumptions go unchallenged and are endlessly repeated . The prosaic reality is ... OTMA were German . Simple. Opinions given on the subject of their appearance SHOULD begin with that basic fact in mind . Yet they rarely do . As I said..... curious.

Disappointing and frankly shocking that "grand duke" has been translated storhertug (великий герцог) instead of storfyrste (великий князь) in the Norwegian translation (by a professional translator!) of Helen Rappaport's otherwise apparently very good "Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917". Also the first place where I've encountered the form tsarinne (corruption of tsarina), which can translated as Tsaress in English!